Folding crate



(-No Model.) 2 Sheets-Sheet 1.

W. H. GADWELL.

FOLDING CRATE. No. 897,894. Patented Feb. 19, 1889.

N. Paran Phawmnomphnn washington nc.

(No Model.) 2 Sheets-Sheet 2.

WQH. GADWBLL. POLDING'GRATB.

y180.897,899. Patented Peb. 19, 1889.

Niven STATES APATENT Fries.

VILLIAM H. CADVELL, OF CHICAGO, ILLINOIS.

FOLDING CRATE.

SPECIFICATION forming part of Letters Patent No. 397,894, dated February 19, 1889.

Application filed May 3l, 1888. Serial No. 275,598. (No model.)

T0 all whom t may con/cern.-

Be it known that I, VILLIAM H. CAD'WELL, a citizen of the United States, residing at Chicago, in the county of Cook and State of Illinois, have invented a new and useful Improvement in Folding Crates, of which the following is a specification.

My invention relates to improvements in folding crates, and more particularly to improvements upon the folding crate heretofore patented to me in Letters Patent No. 328,381, dated October l, 1885.

My invention consists in the novel devices and novel combinations of parts and devices herein shown and described, and more particularly pointed out in the claims.

In the accompanying drawings, which form a part of this specification, and in which similar letters of reference indicate like parts in all the figures, Figure l is a perspective view of a crate embodying my invention. Fig. 2 is an end view; Fig. 3, a section on line 3 3 of Fig. 2. Fig. 1L is a longitudinal section ofthe crate folded. Figs. 5 and G are detail views of the removable partition. Fig. 7 is an enlarged detail view of one of the hinges. Fig. S is a detail perspective view of the hinge, and Fig. 9 is a side view ot' the crate folded.

In said drawings, A represents the-bottom of the crate, and d a the side and end rails, to which the folding sides l' B and the overlapping folding ends C C are hinged or pivoted by the hinges b c, respectively. The end rails, (if, are wider or higher than the side rails, a, so that the folding' ends C may fit properly over the folding sides l of the crate. The hinges b c are of the same construction, and each consists of two staple-form pieces of wire, the free ends of the one being formed into eyes b c', so as to hinge to the other, and the free ends h2 c2 of the other piece, b3 cibeing folded. around the rails ad. of the bottom, so as to firmly attach. the body of the crate to the bottom thereof. The hinges are firmly secured to the rails a n by staples lf* c, and to the posts 'B' C of the sides and ends by similar staples. By this means the sides and ends are firmly hinged to the bottom ot' the crate in a very simple and cheap manner, and the sides and ends are prevented from slipping longitudinally.

The folding ends C are provided at each extremity with stop-blocks C2 C2 for the folding sides B to shut or open out against when thecrate is erected for use. These stop* blocks C2, when the ends C are folded down,

as shown in Fig. 9, lie and fit flat and solidly upon the side rails, a, so that no strain can come upon the hinges in case heavy weights are put upon the folded crate.

The side and end rails, a a', are secured together and strengthened by staple-forni diagonal braces a2 at the corners, one prong of the staple being driven into the rail a and one prong into the rail a. This makes a very cheap and efficient means of tying the side and end rails firmly together.

D is the folding top of the crate, which folds down over the folding ends C C, the same being attached to said folding ends by sliding hinges. These sliding' hinges each consist of a wire rod, d, extending longitudinally under one of the slats of the top D and having its end d folded over the outer end of the top D and Aits inner end, d2, bent at right angles and driven into the lower cross-bar, D', of the top, said wire rod d forming the part of the hinge which issecured to the top D. The wire rod d is also secured in place by staples d3. The wire rod d thus forms a long slot, d, between itself and the slat of the top D, to which it is secured, and in this slot d* fits the wire pin d5, constituting the other part of the sliding hinge, which is secured to the folding end C near the top edge thereof. The pin part d5 of the hinge is removably secured to the folding end C by means of a staple-form piece of wire, t L having eyes dT for the pin d5 to fit in, so that when desired one end of the top D may be entirely detached and swung open, as indicated in Fig. 3. The hinge-pins d5 have bentends d8, which, striking against the vertical posts of the folding ends C, prevent the accidental disengagement of the pins from the eyes d". The vertical. posts of the folding ends C are furnished with grooves c, to permit the pins di to be slipped out when the bent ends d8 of said pins are turned upward.

The lower cross-bars, D', of the top fit inside the folding sides B B of the crate when the crate is erect-ed for use, as is clearly shown in Fig. l, and thus serve as stops or braces to hold the sides B B in position.

It will be understood that there is sufficient IOO bend or elasticity to the top D to permit the folding sides B B to be opened out or erected under the cross-bars D D.

The oross-bars D. of the top serve not only as stops for the sides 'I3 lI3 to abut against when the crate is ereeted, but also as stops for the folding ends C (1 to abn t against when the Grate is folded down, as is clearly shown in Figa-tot' the drawings. rlhe sliding hingetfl top D is thus prevented from slipping lengthwise on the folded erate, and all danger ot' its being therefore broken is avoided.

The sliding hinged top D is provided with one loose or sliding slat, D?, to form an opening for putting the V{fioultry in or taking it out. This movable slat D" is held in plaee by a wire lateh, E, hinged by staples e to the ad joining .longitudinal slat of the top and fitting in a sui table hole or opening in the movable slat D?. In this way the latch E is made to lie fiat upon the slats ot' the top D and be low the upper cross-bars thereof, so as to be protected from injury.

The end rails, d. d', 'are each furnished with wire-hinged bail-form eatehes (ifi, to engage the ends ol the movable slat De of the top when the crate is folded,so as to seeurelyloek or fasten the 'folded lnittom, sides, ends, and top of the erate together, and thus prevent danger of injury in shipnnint. The hinged eateh E serves to loek the movable slat D2 iu p'laee when the crate is folded as well as when it is ereeted. lhe wire eatehes o. are hinged to the rails o. by staples o".

I? is a movable partition extending aeross the Crate at itsmiddle topreventthe fowls injurioiisly piling up on eaeh other when the erate is tilted. The top slat of this partition F furnished with notehes or hoolcsf, whieh engage the eross-piusf iu the slotted blocks or guides f2, whieh are seeured to the folding sides B l. The partition F thus serves also to brace the sides B B and tie them together,

so that they cannot spring out at the middle. j

The partition F lies flat upon the bottom of the Crate when the erate is folded, and is thusinclosed by the. folding sides B lLsothat it eannot get out or become lost. After the crate is erected the partition is readily put in plaee. by simply slipping' the ends of its slats into the grooves otl the guide-bloeks f2.

The partition F is of less height than the erate, so that the partition may be readily set up in the Crate without raising or removing the @over of the crate.

l (daiml. The folding crate consisting in the eonibination ot' a bottom, A, with folding sides B l, folding ends C C, and folding top D, having sliding hinges connecting the same with said ends C (l, and provided with under Crossbars, D2 DQ, for the folding ends C (l to abut against when the erate is folded, snl'istantially as specified.

2. In a folding crate, the etnnbination, with bottom A, havii'ig side and end rails, d d', of folding sides ll ll, wire staple-form hinges b b b2 b3, uniting said parts, the lfree ends b2 of the wire hinge part b3 being folded around said rails d, lli'olding ends (l (l, and wire staple:torm hinges r: o o? C3, uniting said parts, the free ends ci of the wire hingepieee e3 be ing folded around said rails d, substantially as specified.

3. rlhe eombiuatitm, with the bottom olf a folding crate, of a folding side and. a wire stz'tple-form hinge of two pieces, l) and b, said part: D having eyes L at its free ends and the free ends hgof the part h3 being folded around a rail on the bottom of said erat e, substantiallyas specified.

Ll. The eombinatii'nl, with bottom A, of l'olding sides ll l5, fohling ends (l (l, folding top D, wire hinge-rod d, extending lon gitndinall y under one o1 the slats ot' said top to form a slot for the sliding hinge-pin to tit'l in, and a removable l1inge-]iin, d, seeured to lsaid folding end (if near the top edge therei'if, substan tially as speeilied.

5. .ln a folding (frate, the sliding hinged top D, having movable slat D?, and upper and lower cross-bars, between whieh said slat D2 slides, and provided with a wire hinged eateh, E, eonsistin g of two right-angled portions, one of which is stapled to an adjoining slat and the other of whieh is provided with a downward'lybent end, snbstantially as shown, to enter a hole in said movable slat D?, and staples e, substantially as specified.

t3. '.lhe eombination, with bottom A, having side and end rails, a a', ot' folding hinged sides B B, folding hinged ends C C, top D, having sliding hinges eonneotin g the same at both ends with said ends ('l C, partition F, formed of upright posts and cross-slats, with spaees between, and having hooks f, pins j", and slotted guides seeureifl to said sides l ll, said partition being of less height than the erate, so that said partition maybe setup or taken down without rtnnoving said folding top D, substantially as specified.

lVlLLlAM ll. (lADW ELL.

lVitnesses:

Il'. )L MUNDAY, EDMUND ADCooK.

IOO 

